


tightrope

by ravenhan



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Theatre AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 15:26:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17103161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenhan/pseuds/ravenhan
Summary: “Actor, good vocals, dance skills. It basically hasLee Minhowritten all over it.”“I’m not an actor,” Minho deadpans. “Anddance skillsis a bit of a stretch.”“You took dance lessons for two years,” Changbin argues.“Yeah, when I was eight. That was more than 10 years ago.”Or, Minho gets a role on a college play, and the character’s love story is suddenly not only the character’s anymore.





	tightrope

**Author's Note:**

> this is unbeta'ed so i'm sorry for any mistakes!!

“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t try,” Changbin tries for what must be the tenth time this morning. He holds the flyer that’s glued to every wall of the building in front of him, and exclaims while pointing at random words, “Actor, good vocals, dance skills. It basically has _Lee Minho_ written all over it.”

“I’m not an actor,” Minho deadpans. “And _dance skills_ is a bit of a stretch.”

__

“You took dance lessons for two years,” Changbin argues.

“Yeah, when I was eight. That was more than 10 years ago,” Minho sighs. “Changbin, please, I have no reason to be on a school play.”

“But it’s not just a school play like any other, it’s a musical. You’ll get to sing, and perform on stage. Sure, you might have to act a little, but I’m sure you can nail that, too. You may not be an actor, but at least you look like one.”

Changbin is obviously trying to flatter him to get what he wants, but Minho has known him for far too long to fall for this, “Seo Changbin. I’ll say it one more time, and then you’ll drop it, okay? The answer is n-“

“Did I mention they invited Kim Woojin to help with it?” Changbin interrupts him before he can deny him for good.

Minho jaws goes slack as he answers, “Kim Woojin? Like _the_ Kim Woojin?”

Minho doesn’t keep up with musical actors. If someone asks, maybe he can name two or three, but Kim Woojin is definitely one of them. Everyone knows him, even those with no interest in music or anything related. He started his career as a teenager singer in a group, and though his group was decent and they did fairly well, once he landed a role on the remake of a famous play he got to unleash all his talent and reach his full potential. It didn’t take much for him to quit all his singer-related business and focus solely on his musical actor career. After three plays that were well received by the public, he took part on an original piece that was a success. At the age of 18, the boy found himself being the focus of professional critics all around the country, who endlessly praised him for his talent and work ethics. He soon received prizes musical actors could only dream of receiving in their years long career. He made history, and then he sort of disappeared from tabloids and musicals. He still takes part on some of them, but no longer as the star. However, he’s still respected nationwide, so it’s a pretty big deal to have him working on a college play.

Changbin nods, and adds, “And that famous director, you know, the one from the first play he did is the one directing the play. Bang Chan? Or something.” 

Minho has no idea who that is. Still, he isn’t proud to admit that it takes just a few more extra minutes of Changbin annoying him to make him thoroughly convinced that this might not be that awful of an idea.

 

The waiting line for the auditions make turns in the school hallways, and Minho vaguely wonders how many people are truly dedicated to theater and how many are just like him.

The audition process is simple: act out a scene, sing a few lines, and perform some dance moves. Those who are selected in the first round go through a chemistry test with other potential actors in the afternoon, and by the end of the day they will have the actors list that’s supposed to be up on the wall by the theater entrance the morning after. It could be published online, in Minho’s opinion, but the need for suspense and drama is something he might have to learn how to deal with.

There’s about six people watching him when he steps into the stage. On the front row, is Kim Woojin, with a relaxed expression but focused eyes. By his side there’s a pale man he doesn’t recognize, but assumes to be the director in charge. There’s not many space between the two, and Minho highly doubts someone from school is that close to Korea’s biggest musical star.

There’s a few other people he recognizes — Felix, from the dance club, Seungmin, from his own vocal club ( _what the fuck_ ), a kid that seems impossibly young, with sharp eyes and a serious expression that he’s seen with Seungmin before, and three other girls that Minho doesn’t know.

He introduces himself plainly as he was told to do, and the two men on the front row nod in acknowledgment.

“Whenever you’re ready,” the pale one, who he assumes to be Bang Chan, tells him.

There are three steps to the audition, and after a deep breath, finished by a shaky exhale, he’s ready to go.

He breaks into character easily, even if he’s never acted before. It probably shows in the uneasiness of his expression and the slight tremble of his hands, but he delivers his lines without major problems. Changbin did make him repeat them endlessly the night before, so they’re engraved to his mind to the point nervousness can’t stop him. It’s a little too stiff, a little too restrained, but this is supposed to be his acting debut — he’s assuming the bee role he played when he was five doesn’t count as one — so it’s the best he can do without much preparation. 

His singing is loud, on tune and it resonates throughout the auditorium as a good musical number is supposed to. He’s grown familiar with the song overnight, enough so that he has no problem staying on beat and raising and lowering his voice in all the right times. If anything is going to make him pass this audition, there’s no doubt it’s going to be this.

The dance comes to him easier than acting. The last time he seriously danced in front of people he was eight, but back then he trained enough of the basics that muscle memory helps him keep his balance and show the choreography with just a small hint of pride in his chest.

There’s no applauses when he finishes, though the kid with the previous scary eyes has his hands together as if he wants to clap for him. He’s smiling now, and it reaches his eyes and makes him seem much younger than before. Minho wants to take it as a good sign.

“Thank you for your performance. We’ll get back to you during lunch,” Bang Chan tells him. Kim Woojin taps on his arm lightly, gaining his attention, and he gives him a look that might mean something for them, but Minho has no idea what.

Minho bows, and turns around to leave the stage, when someone calls for him.

“Lee Minho?” Kim Woojin reads from the stack of paper he has in hands. Minho turns towards the voice, and nods, unsure. “Be here at 2 PM.” 

 

Doing a chemistry read means he’s one step closer to getting the role, and the realization is just a little overwhelming. He’s never acted seriously before, and he had no intention of ever doing so.

He lets Changbin know through a text message, telling him he won’t meet him for lunch. Now that he’s really doing this, he might as well put his all out.

**changbinnie**  
_look at you doing a chemistry read_  
_it’s almost like you’re an actor already_  
_they grow up so fast_  
_break a leg!!!!!_  
_not literally please_ __

__Minho huffs at his phone screen, sending a wink emoji as a reply._ _

__He’s at what he supposes is the auditorium’s dressing room, and there aren’t many people around. He vaguely recognizes some from other school plays he’s watched before — it’s hard, considering they’re usually all heavy on make up and costumes, but Minho has always been good with facial features. It dawns on him that he’s competing with actual aspiring actors for the roles, and the thought makes him almost feel like he doesn’t belong here._ _

__He’s quick to shake such thoughts aside, though, because from all the years he’s been at college the one thing he’s learned is that he’s good at adapting._ _

__“Hey, are you new here?” A voice sounds from behind him, followed by a tap in his shoulder that indicates the person is talking to him. He turns around, and the familiar face he meets is not what he’s expected. Hwang Hyunjin is the school’s most promising actor. If there’s a big play, he’s definitely a part of it. Usually as the main character. He’s popular for a reason that goes beyond his sculptured-like features, tall height and good proportions. He’s good. Great, even. But no one has ever seen him in a musical, and Minho vaguely wonders if he can dance with all those long limbs of his. He knows for a fact long limbs make for beautiful performances when used right._ _

__“Theater, yes. College, no,” Minho answers. “I’m Minho, by the way. Probably your hyung.” He actually knows that for a fact, because when Hyunjin entered school and became a topic among people Minho was starting his second year at college. He has no business knowing that, though, so he pretends he doesn’t._ _

__“Oh? You look younger. I’m Hwang Hyunjin” Hyunjin replies. “So, what role are you trying for?_ _

__The problem of hanging out with Seo Changbin is that his overconfidence ends up rubbing off on you. Considering Minho’s already fairly confident as it is, it’s basically set for disaster._ _

__Minho has more dignity than to cower in front of an underclassman, though, even if he’s knowingly the best actor on campus. His voice doesn’t falter in the slightest when he says, “The main role.”_ _

__Surprise clouds Hyunjin’s eyes, but it’s gone in a second, replaced by a glint of what Minho can only call mischief. He smiles at Minho, and it’s the level of fakeness that’s well conceived, as he expects it to be from an aspiring actor, but Minho has always been good at seeing past people’s intention. “Good luck,” he chirps, challenging tone not as well conceived. The “ _on beating me_ ” is only implied, but Minho catches it anyway._ _

__

__The chemistry tests start off smoothly. He reads the same scene with about 3 girls and then with 2 other guys, all of which are applying for the role of the main character’s romantic interest. On the particular scene they’re doing, they have fewer lines than Minho does, but they sing more and they also perform simple dance steps that Minho’s already memorized after the 5 times he’s watched._ _

__After three hours of chemistry reads between the main pairing, side pairings and what feels like the entire cast at this point, there’s only him and one of the girls he’s already acted with sitting on one side of the stage. On the other side, there’s Hyunjin and a boy he’s acted with, too. They’re watching Chan and Woojin — by now Minho is sure it’s them — discussing from a distance, and it’s obvious they’re deciding between Hyunjin and Minho for the main character, and the boy or the girl for his love interest._ _

__Five minutes pass — Minho is definitely counting by now, the dizziness he feels from not getting lunch getting to him — and they call up the boy and the girl to the center of the stage. _This is it_ , Minho thinks. He doesn’t pay much attention to what’s being said. At this point, he just wants the results to be out so he can go home and eat his own weight in food. It’s been almost 12 hours since he last ate, and he doesn’t know how much longer he can take it._ _

__“We’ll be in touch if we need to,” Chan voices resonates throughout the almost empty auditorium. “Thank you for taking part on our auditions.”_ _

__Both the boy and the girl bow, leaving the stage right after. Minho is not sure what’s happening, but he thinks they just dismissed the last two candidates for the other half of the main pairing._ _

__He looks over at Hyunjin for some kind of confirmation, and he finds the younger boy staring at him with a fierce expression. He barely has time to try and make sense of it, because soon Chan is calling them to the center of the stage._ _

__“The final battle,” Chan sighs dramatically, placing his two hands together in front of him in what seems like delight. “So, I see you’re both trying for the male lead, right?”_ _

__It’s probably a rhetorical question, because they did spend the last hours doing exactly that, but Minho nods anyway._ _

__“Wonderful. But Minho,” Chan directs his word at him, his piercing gaze boring holes on his skull. His head hurts. “Would you mind playing the love interest once?”_ _

__Minho notices how he kind of hates that the other character is reduced to being the love interest, but he’s not sure if that’s what actually bothers him that much, or if it’s the fact he may end up being reduced to a love interest._ _

__Objectively speaking, it doesn’t really matter. He wanted a role to showcase his vocal skills, and being the lead or the lead’s love interest doesn’t make that much of a difference — if all the singing and dancing the people he acted with did is anything to go by._ _

__“I don’t know the lines,” is Minho logical answer. He really doesn’t. He’s fine with the song lyrics, and he memorized the dance moves, too. But acting really isn’t his strongest suit, so there’s only so much he remembers about what’s been said to him all afternoon._ _

__“You can read them,” Chan answers, extending a script for him to grab._ _

__And if they want him to do a chemistry read with Hyunjin, even if that’s not how he expected his afternoon to end at all, he can definitely do it, so he nods, reaching out to grab the paper from Chan’s hand._ _

__Hyunjin sighs in relief by his side, and when Minho looks over, he tries to wipe off the relieved expression off his face, but Minho is starting to think Hyunjin is not as good at hiding his own emotions as he is at portraying someone else’s on stage._ _

__If his opinion mattered all, which he knows it doesn’t, he’d say it was the best chemistry read he did today. He felt much more comfortable in this role that had more dancing and vocal than acting — and, honestly, what about being reduced to a love interest? The love interest can definitely sing and dance better than the lead, anyway. Hyunjin’s vocals are a little off and his dance is just a bit slow, but it’s obvious how much better he is at delivering the lines Minho has been saying all day._ _

__If Chan and Woojin’s claps mean anything, is that they enjoyed this as much as Minho did. Hyunjin big smile that reach his eyes and crinkles their side when they announce they’re officially casted might mean he did, too._ _

__

__Hyunjin is as professional as Minho expected him to be on stage, and something about how stiff he sounds when talking to him during breaks makes it obvious that the friendly atmosphere from the first time they talked, before he found out Minho was auditioning for the same role as him, is not coming back anytime soon. Minho can deal with that. It takes more than that to bother him._ _

__Felix is going over the choreography with the both of them one more time. Everyone else that’s supposed to dance behind them already know their steps — it’s ridiculously easy, if he does say so himself, so they’re lining up before Jeongin, the scary-eyes-slash-bright-smile kid who is charge of the costumes. Seungmin is by his side, helping a couple of actor practice their ad-libs for the song they’re performing next. Chan and Woojin haven’t arrived yet. In general, it’s a normal day at practice._ _

__“You’re doing this wrong,” Felix tells Hyunjin for what must be the third time in the past 20 minutes. He repeats the move himself one more time, in slow motion, then he stands by Hyunjin’s side waiting for him to copy what he did. “See, there. That’s what you can’t do. You need to put your right foot right in front of your left. Otherwise you’ll just end up sprawled on the floor,” Felix points out._ _

__Hyunjin nods, and tries again. He does it two more times, messing up at different parts of the steps. He sighs, frustrated. Felix pats his back a few times and say, “Let’s take a quick break, okay? I’ll bring you some water and then we can try again.”_ _

__It’s obvious Hyunjin doesn’t want to stop, but Felix is out of the stage before he can protest._ _

__“You can laugh,” Hyunjin says, defeated, dropping his long body on the floor as he catches his breath after all the wrong quick moves. “I know you’d be done with this dance hours ago if you were the main lead, so go ahead, rub it in my face all you want.”_ _

__Minho, who was mostly just standing there watching Hyunjin and Felix practice, sits on the floor by his side. “I have been done with this dance for hours now,” he says matter-of-factly, earning a glare from Hyunjin in response. “But, I wouldn’t get the acting scenes over with as fast as you do,” he offers, in what’s supposed to be a reassuring statement. It’s obvious for him. Hyunjin is an actor, not a dancer and definitely not a singer. Thankfully — their practice with Seungmin didn’t go that well, either._ _

__Hyunjin doesn’t say anything for a while. He doesn’t talk much to Minho, so he’s not surprised. Eventually, he barely whispers, “No one who is just an actor here is struggling with everything else as much as I am.”_ _

__It’s the most vulnerability Hyunjin has ever shown in front of him, so he does his best to act like this is normal. Having the school’s actor opening up to him is not how he expected practice to go when he woke up this morning, but he will take it. It’s not like Minho is surprised by his words — once you pay attention, it’s obvious the boy wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s just slightly taken aback that he’s talking about it with him._ _

__“It’s easier to cover up the fact you can’t sing when there’s a crowd singing along and all you have to do are a few adlibs,” Minho answers sincerely. “And their dance steps are way easier than ours, because having a lot of people dancing makes an impact on its own.”_ _

__Minho is not trying to diminish everyone else’s hard work, but his words are true. Everyone else’s acting scenes are great — it’d take Minho weeks to master what they do within hours — but the performance aspect of their roles are nothing compared to his and Hyunjin’s. That’s why they are the mains._ _

__Hyunjin sighs. “They’re good at their assigned roles.”_ _

__“You are the main lead for a reason,” Minho tries again. He knows for a fact words of reassurance, albeit kind, are usually worthless, but he really wants to make his point clear here. “It’s useless to compare yourself to everyone else. You have the potential, and you work hard.” He unconsciously reaches his hand to touch Hyunjin’s knee, giving it a light but reassuring squeeze. “You can do it.”_ _

__Hyunjin eyes widen at the sudden action, staring at him. Minho could be embarrassed about it and retreat his hand, but he doesn’t. Instead, he stares back at Hyunjin, and they stay like that until Felix comes back ready to start again._ _

__When they finish cleaning up the stage that day, Hyunjin’s tap on his shoulder and a whisper of “Thanks, hyung” accompanied by a shy smile is the last thing Minho takes note of before he heads home._ _

__

__“So you’re saying you’re whipped for this kid,” Changbin says between a mouthful of french fries. They’re at Minho’s dorm, stuffing themselves with take-out instead of working on the alternative that is their essay that’s due in two days._ _

__“You’re gross,” Minho states, pointing at the fry that just fell from Changbin’s mouth to the cardboard with the uneaten ones. He grabs it and stuffs it back into his mouth. “Your spit is on all fries now,” Minho whines._ _

__Changbin finishes chewing, swallows and say, “Don’t eat it, then.”_ _

__Minho takes a handful of fries out of spite, shoving them into his mouth all at once. Changbin smirks._ _

__“So, about the boy you’re whipped for…”_ _

__“I’m not,” Minho tries to say, but it’s muffled by all the food on his mouth, so he takes his time processing the food before he speaks again. “I’m not whipped,” he repeats._ _

__“Yeah?” Changbin asks. “So why can’t you stop talking about him every time we hang out?”_ _

__“Because he’s in the play you forced me to participate!” Minho exclaims._ _

__“I told you to go for the lead role, not the lead role’s love interest,” Changbin points out. “Sacrificing your role just to make the boy happy. _And_ getting to be his love interest. You’re really going all out on this one, hyung.”_ _

__“Fuck you,” Minho says._ _

__“So when are you two kissing?” Changbin wiggles his eyebrows exaggeratedly and, oh, Minho sort of forgot there was definitely going to be a kiss involved._ _

__“It takes more than a stupid kiss to make me fall, Changbin,” Minho says. “You should know that.”_ _

__It was a drunken kiss on game of truth or dare at a party once, but it’s always good to tease Changbin about it._ _

__“Fuck _you_ ,” it’s Changbin’s turn to say. “Tell me how you feel after you kiss those plump lips, then.”_ _

__“I never said anything about his lips.” Thinking? Sure. Telling Changbin about it? Never._ _

__“But they are, aren’t they?” Changbin asks, and Minho exercises his right to stay quiet._ _

__Changbin cackles. “You know what, hyung. Maybe you really won’t fall after you kiss him,” he says, between laughs. “I think you’re falling even before that.”_ _

__Minho grabs another handful of french fries, and this time he shoves them in Changbin’s mouth instead. “You are so fucking annoying.”_ _

__

__It’s 7 PM, and Minho only notices he forgot to bring his wallet when he gets to the cashier and finds himself reaching to empty pockets. The boy behind the counter is quick to notice what is going on._ _

__“It’s okay, hyung,” Jisung says, opening one of his signature bright smile. They’re in friendly terms, as Minho is with everyone he spends time with long enough to strike up a conversation. He’s been an avid client for a long time, and Jisung has been there ever since he can remember. That, and the fact he and Changbin have been dating for four months now. “Just pay me tomorrow.”_ _

__Minho smiles, thanking Jisung and assuring him he’ll drop by during lunch time the next day._ _

__It’s not hard to find out where he left his wallet. They did customs trials earlier that day, and all the changing unavoidably led him to the situation he is now._ _

__Once he enters the auditorium, he goes for the waiting room where he and Jeongin were at, and his wallet is laying there on top of of the dresser. He sighs, relieved, retrieving it and saving it in his pocket._ _

__On his way out, he hears a voice singing to the familiar song of the play coming from behind one of the closed door. His first thought is Seungmin, and it doesn’t even cross his mind that he is not a part of the cast so there’s no reason why he’d be here hours after the practice ended, no matter how hard working he is._ _

__“Seungminnie, what are you doing here?” He says as soon as he opens the door, only to come to a halt when he sees the boy sitting in the chair in the middle of the room looks nothing like Seungmin. The singing abruptly stops. “Sorry. I thought it was-“_ _

__“Seungmin,” Hyunjin completes for him. “He left about half an hour ago, if you’re looking for him.”_ _

__So Seungmin did stay hours after practice. To help Hyunjin, probably. He’s not the closest to Seungmin, but it’s something so typically him that he’s not surprised at all._ _

__“Sorry,” Minho says again, and motions to close the door._ _

__“Hyung, wait,” Hyunjin suddenly stands up, reaching for the door to stop Minho from closing it. “Can I talk to you?”_ _

__It catches Minho by surprise, but he’s slowly learning that’s just something Hyunjin does to him. “Sure,” he steps into the room, closing the door behind him. “What is it?”_ _

__“I, uh,” Hyunjin scratches the back of his neck, and he looks oddly uncomfortable standing there, looking at Minho. “I’m sorry.”_ _

__Minho tilts his head, giving him a puzzled look. “For what?”_ _

__“For being an asshole on audition day.”_ _

__“Oh, that. Don’t worry about it,” Minho says. “You weren’t even that big of an asshole. Just threw me a few scary glances,” he smiles, to make sure Hyunjin know he’s joking. “You saw me as a potential threat. My good looks are deceiving, it’s understandable.”_ _

__Even if his acting skills are improving, he’s still pretty bad. He could only blame his actor face, or whatever Changbin called it._ _

__Hyunjin looks flustered for a second, but then he says sincerely, “You’re actually pretty good, hyung.”_ _

__“Of course I know that.” He obviously doesn’t, but faking confidence is a part of his personality sometimes. He’s endeared that Hyunjin tells him that, anyway. “I’m just saying it. I’m actually flattered you felt threatened by me.”_ _

__“Really?” Hyunjin eyes him suspiciously, and Minho kind of hates that he doubts him._ _

__“Of course. You’re a born actor,” a shy smile paints Hyunjin features at that. “And you love it, right? Acting.”_ _

__Hyunjin nods._ _

__“Then it’s perfect. You’re great at this. This is your show.”_ _

__Hyunjin smiles brightly at that, and maybe Changbin is right. Maybe Minho is whipped. Maybe he’s going to fall even before kissing him. Maybe Hyunjin should smile all the time. It looks great on him._ _

__“Thank you, hyung. But it’s our show.”_ _

__Minho laughs. “Right, but just because you can’t dance nor sing.”_ _

__

__Hyunjin vocals improve drastically, and he starts moving on stage like he’s aware of where his every limb is supposed to be. Minho is not the greatest dancer, but after a few bumps and missteps he thinks they’re a good match. Their vocal colors blend surprisingly well together, and at least for that he can take some of the credit._ _

__After their conversation on the dressing room, Hyunjin opens up to him completely. They find themselves practicing with much more ease, and staying late after practice to go over acting tips for Minho and singing tips for Hyunjin. It doesn’t take much for Minho to go back on his words — Hyunjin can definitely sing, and with a few extra practices, combined with Seungmin’s vocal lessons and Woojin’s guidance, it’s hard to believe Hyunjin could barely hit one right note back when he first started._ _

__Spending time with Hyunjin becomes easy and comfortable, and it somehow makes all the effort Minho has been putting on this play even more worth it. His essays are piling up, and he can tell Changbin is in the verge of complaining that he barely hangs out with him anymore. But he doesn’t, because he knows somewhere along the way Minho started caring a little too much about the play._ _

__

__Minho has been kissing Hyunjin at least three times every day for a week, and yet it doesn’t prepare him for the real thing._ _

__It starts off awkward. Chan doesn’t miss it, making sure to scream a “Give it more emotion!” the first time it happens, making Hyunjin’s ears turn bright red at that._ _

__By now, he considers Hyunjin a friend, and it’s not like he never kissed his only best friend before. But, for some reason, it’s different with Hyunjin._ _

__Maybe because it’s staged. Maybe because they’re sober. Maybe because there’s an audience watching them. Maybe because Minho is supposed to pretend it doesn’t get his heart racing in the slightest so they can move on to the next scene._ _

__A scene where they hold hands, and sing a song about promises and forever._ _

__It’s a foreign feeling._ _

__“I say you kiss him for real, and see how it goes,” Changbin says._ _

__Receiving love related advice from Changbin and his boyfriend, both laying their heads on his stomach as they are entagled with each other, is not exactly Minho’s ideal way to go about his love life. But, they are the ones in a relationship, no matter how unconventional they are, so maybe they have something useful to say. So far, they don’t seem like they do._ _

__“Right,” Jisung agrees with his boyfriend. “He looks at you like a lovesick puppy, hyung. Just go for it.”_ _

__“You met him once,” Minho exclaims. It was a night involving the four of them, Seungmin, Felix and Jeongin, watching a musical so Minho could see how a real one was like, and going for pizza after. No alcohol, because Minho didn’t really trust himself anymore._ _

__“It was enough. It takes one to know one,” Jisung reasons. Changbin smiles at him, and they give each other a quick kiss _while laying on Minho’s stomach_. _ _

__“Gross,” Minho says. “Ok, say I kiss him. What if it makes thing awkward? What about the play? I have to kiss him there, too. What if he’s grossed out?”_ _

__Changbin sighs. “Hyung, I love you, but you’re being ridiculous. He won’t be grossed out. If anything, you won’t manage to take your hands off of each other and by the end of the play the audience will have to leave because we will be grossed out.”_ _

__Minho throws a pillow at him, that ends up hitting Jisung, too. Which serves him right. “You’re useless.”_ _

__So when they’re laying at the center of the stage, exactly where they started, three days before the big day, Changbin and his goddamn words won’t leave his mind. _Kiss him for real_._ _

__He could blame the exhaustion taking over every inch of his body. He could blame the dimly lit auditorium, because someone turned off half of the lights on their way out and they were too tired to go turn it back on. He could blame Hyunjin’s arm that’s faintly brushing against his. He could blame the fact that they’ve already kissed at least five times today, and he’s desperate to find out how they all differ from the real thing._ _

__Whatever it is, it prompts him to just finally do it._ _

__When he sits up abruptly, Hyunjin follows right after him, asking him what’s wrong. When he looks at Hyunjin’s eyes staring back at him, alarmed, he knows he wants this. So bad._ _

__When his lips meet Hyunjin’s, he tenses up before relaxing into the kiss, and the feeling of his lips against his are familiar, but everything else is so different. It could just be the fact that this is _real_ , not acting. That Hyunjin’s hand that find its way across his hair is there because he wants it to, that he’s moving his mouth along Minho’s because he wants this as much as Minho does. Minho puts his arm around Hyunjin waist, pulling him closer, because he wants to. Because, this time, in the empty auditorium in the middle of the night, he can._ _

__

__The loud audience before them, giving them applauses, whistling and smiling, is proof that the play is a success. They still have two more nights to perform, but the satisfaction they feel at their hard work being recognized is enough to last for far more than just that._ _

__Backstage feels like a party, and when Minho finds Chan and Woojin to thank them, they’re wearing smiles that might not leave their faces anytime soon._ _

__Felix and Jeongin squeeze him in a suffocating hug, managing to sandwich him between them both. Seungmin gives him his bright, puppy smile and his eyes are shining and he looks happy and bright to see something he worked so hard on being a success. Minho hugs him tight, because he learned he hates it, and places a wet kiss on his cheek, because he learned how much it disgusts him. He only earns a small punch on his shoulder for all of that._ _

__The next people he meet are Changbin and Jisung. Changbin is holding a huge flower bouquet, and Minho can’t help but laugh out loud at the scene._ _

__“Before you say anything, it was Jisung’s idea,” Changbin says, and a look on Jisung’s face tells him he’s really proud of that. He takes the bouquet with a smile, and ruffles Jisung’s hair affectionately. “Thanks, Jisungie.”_ _

__Jisung throws himself on him, and he returns the hug just as enthusiastically._ _

__To Changbin, he says, “Thank you. Not just for the flowers,” he smiles. “But for convincing me to audition for the play.” He hugs Changbin, and the boy snickers, but throws his arms around Minho’s waist anyway._ _

__Hyunjin is the last one he finds, and it’s ridiculous how good he looks. His hair is all over the place, and the make up on his left eye is slightly smudged. He’s holding a bouquet exactly like the one Minho’s holding, and the spark on his eyes is breathtaking._ _

__“Jisung?” Minho asks, approaching him and pointing at the flowers._ _

__Hyunjin laughs, nodding, and his eye-smile makes Minho heart race just a little._ _

__Their lips find each other’s soon enough, and they kiss until they are running out of air._ _

__“You were amazing,” Minho whispers when they pull apart, and Hyunjin’s entire face lights up at that._ _

__He looks up at him, and he swears swollen lips, shy smiles and crinkled eyes have never looked prettier._ _


End file.
